Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-11-24
MORE PROOFS OF THE SLAVE TRADE

MORE PROOFS OF TIE SLAVE TRADE.
The very good and pure people whe
would not for the world believe that there
is such thing as Chinese slavery, but are
quick to receive and believe all manner of
stories concerning the alleged inhuman-
ity of Californians to Chinese, have now
an opportunity to be convinced OF the
truth. 1t may be doubted, however, if the
indisputable facts proving that the Chinese
buy and sell those of their flesh and blood,
will be accepted by the sentimentalists of
the East
\ few days ago the REcoRp-UNIoS edi-
torially reeited the details of shipment
OF Chinese female slaves from Hongkong
to San Francisco. They were thirteen in
number, and We're under charge of bag
upon whose person the customs officials
found documents of very damaging char
aoter, in addition to the bills of sale of
the slaves, and the accounts of money ex-
pended in their purchase and shipment.
But the officers were wise enough to keen
the contents of the papers close until sew
eral of the slave women could be cues
toned. An interpreter being engaged. |
these helpless creatures were asked to tell |
their stories of prior residence. They |
very readily did so, relating in detail |
where they had resided in California |
when they returned to China, to whom
they were married, and gave quite correct
accounts of towns and cities and their |
streets, and of the scenery of the State. |
They were then separately shown the
papers taken from their keeper, and which
proved to be word for word the tales the
poor creatures had recited to the officials.
Thereupon the women broke down and
confessed that they had been constrained
to learn the tales under fear of threatened |
death; that in fact they had never been
in California or out of China before. knew
nothing Of this State, were not married,
but had been sold into slavery, and some
concluded by naming the amounts paid for
them.
Oh course, with such testimony of the
facts before them, the Courts will not give
consent to the landing of these women.
and they will be returned to China. where
they express themselves DESTROYS of speedily
finding themselves. Whether there is pro-
yided any punishment for the slave dealer
IN tins case we know not, but we doubt if
1t Will be possible to visit upon her any
penalty. She and her principals-w are
well-to-do Chinese in San Francisco-will
lose the money invested in this cargo of
human beings, and as it is considerable
sum, it will, in part, serve as punishment.
There are more Chinese women in Cali
fornIa to-day than at any previous time
nine out of ten of them are owned by
slave masters, who compel them to follow
the most degraded of vocations. The ex-
-eess OF these women over the total of three
years ago is due to the large number who
have been fraudulently imported by means
IN many cases, like those disclosed in the
instance first referred to. 1t is we'll known
TO the officers of the municipal and county
governments in this State that these slaves
are held as such, passed from hand to hand
for spot sums, and bought and sold as sheep
In the market-place. Yet it is with the
utmost difficulty that the machinery of the
law can he set in motion to free these
miserable creatures. On the contrary
strange as II may appear, in a State boast
ing of republican form of government,
and oil adherence for slavery, the laws,
and the minor Courts, are invoked bv the
Chinese Legrees with success to more
firmly riyet the chains of these slaves. and
to recover them when they escape. The
fugitive slave law of the "fifties" was
never more eifectually employed to return
negro bondmen to slavery in the South.
than are the ordinary criminal laws of this
State to recover Chinese slaves. and keen
them in their degraded state of bondage.
1t should not much longer be possible
for slaves to stand upon American soil and
tell such sorrowful stories as these extracts
from four confessions detail, taken from the |
statements of the female slaves now in San
Francisco harbor, and whom the Chinese
slave-deaiers are endeavoring by bribery, |
false swearing and the technicalities of the
law to have handed over to them:
My name is Chow Ming Chez. was horn in
Lima IA put 40 not know where. am % years
INV
TO be slave girl; was a slave girl in Canton
LOT TWO years my mistress sold me to woman
VINO handed me over to the woman in the Dho
tograph TO bring to California do NOT kro1v
now much was paid my mistress paid tor nv
ticket; Fad no certificate, for l have never
been here before man on board this steamer
taught me what to say on my arrival: while
teaching me his hand held a paper
My name is Lee Sing Choy. was bor, in |
canton oa Honam ION the south side of the |
riyer( in the .un Chez Lee street. am % wears
old was only little thing when my mother
ded; 1 don remember my mothers name: my
iaa name was Lee shun Cheong he died |
the year before last; before my mother died she
sold me because she was poor and wanted
money passed hands, and then the woman in |
me Ph.otograph q don't know her name), she
bought me and brought me over to this country.
sne PAID 500 Tor me 10 my adopted mother |
had no certificate, TOR l had never been in this
country before.
never was in this country before: nv mother
sold me in China, but l do not know for how
much my mother told me that was to 90 to
America but where j do not know with this
woman Fong Chun Shee, who taught me- etc (
never was in this country before; this WON /
an, Fong Cnun Shee ticket No. 260) bought me |
and paid s625 for me at Ho Lou China. snd |
taught me the instructions in this letter NO II;
please DO not arrest this woman, tor if you do |
VIII be killed; Will die sure my fate Is sealed |
now.
If the ordinary dictates of manliness, |
the love of fair play, and the hatred
Americans leel for slavery, do not presently
move Californians to ,eStirpate Chinese
slavery here, by lawful and orderly but
irresistible methods, we will deserve the
contempt and scorn Of all civilized people.
THE TRUE FRIEND OF THE soUTu
The lnter-Ocean remarks upon the fac.
that the Chattanooga TIaaes and the Times
Democrat of New Orleans, have been max
ing serious complaints against the senior
Il tenilpra IN /